"You may call me the Fool." The brief reply faded into the grand sanctuary and the drifting mist, yet in Audrey and Aljere's hearts, the voice lingered on, sending ripples that spread in waves. A title that had seemed unexpected yet perfectly embodied the sense of mystery, strength, and strangeness! After a few moments of quiet, Audrey rose, lifted her skirt gently, bent her knees, and bowed to Zhou Mingrui: "Respected Sir the Fool, allow me to respectfully request—would you kindly serve as a witness to our transaction?" "A small matter," Zhou Mingrui replied swiftly, adjusting his tone to match his stature. "It is our great honor, Sir the Fool," Aljere also stood, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed. Zhou Mingrui raised his right hand slightly, smiled, and said: "You may proceed." "Aljer nodded, sat back down, and looked at Audrey. "If you can obtain the ghost shark's blood, send it to the 'Rangers and Sea' tavern on Pelican Street in the White Rose district of Privet Port. Tell the owner, William, that this is what 'Captain' wants." "Once I've confirmed everything, will you send me the address with the potion recipe, or will you tell me directly here?" Audrey thought for a moment, then smiled. "I'll go with the more confidential approach—right here, though it does test my memory." Since Mr. The Fool has agreed to witness this transaction, it means there will be another such gathering soon. Thinking of this, she suddenly turned her head, her eyes bright with interest, and proposed: "Mr. The Fool, would you mind if we have several more gatherings like this?" Aljer listened steadily and felt a stirring of warmth, quickly agreeing: "Mr. The Fool, don't you find these gatherings quite interesting?" Though your strength surpasses our imagination, there are always domains beyond your understanding or expertise. The lady across the table, clearly of noble birth, has her own unique experiences, insights, networks, and resources. I believe we may be able to assist you in certain future matters—tasks that might be too minor or inconvenient for you to handle personally. In his view, since he has been drawn here without resistance or preparedness, it clearly indicates that the mysterious Sir Fool holds the initiative. He cannot be certain that simply expressing reluctance or choosing to disengage from the gatherings will be enough to achieve his goals. Therefore, rather than merely endure the passivity and disadvantages, he would do better to deeply and thoroughly explore the benefits of this encounter, using the gains to offset his current challenges. The three of us, seated at the long table, come from diverse backgrounds, possess distinct resources, information channels, and knowledge of the mysterious realms. If we can exchange insights and engage in limited collaboration, the resulting synergistic effects will be truly remarkable and incalculable. For instance, the resource exchange we just agreed upon. If I wish to eliminate someone, I could entirely enlist the help of a "gathering member" who has no connection—neither surface nor substantive—to me, thereby perfectly redirecting the entire matter in a different direction. A lady of noble birth... Is my demeanor, my accent so apparent? Audrey's mouth hangs slightly open, momentarily stunned, but she quickly regains her composure and promptly nods with decisive assurance: "Mr. The Fool, I find this proposal most excellent. As long as the 'gathering' becomes a regular event, should there be matters that would be inconvenient for you to personally attend, you may entirely delegate them to us—provided, of course, that such tasks fall within our capabilities." Since just now, Zhou Mingrui has been weighing the pros and cons. More "gatherings" indeed bring him access to a wealth of extraordinary secrets and esoteric knowledge, which will be invaluable for his eventual return—such as the potion recipe for the "audience" that will appear at the next gathering. Likewise, they will provide him with timely updates and support in his current life. However, the more gatherings he holds, the more likely he is to reveal the truth about his own existence! Indeed, in every world, there is no such thing as a purely beneficial endeavor. Zhou Mingrui once again extends his right hand, lightly tapping the edge of the long table. Given that he has full control over both the summoning and the dissolution of the gatherings, any issues that arise remain within manageable bounds. The advantages clearly outweigh the drawbacks, so he makes a swift decision. Stopping his tapping, he smiles warmly at the four expectant yet anxious eyes. "I am someone who values equitable exchange," he says. "I will not ask you to help without expecting something in return." "Each Monday at 3 p.m., try to spend some time alone. Once I've tried a few times and figured out a few things, perhaps you'll be able to take early leave without worrying about ending up in an inappropriate setting." That was how he agreed to Aljere and Odile's proposal. Odile, just seventeen, had always been well-cared for and deeply sensitive—upon hearing the Fool's response, she couldn't help but clench her fists and gently sway them in front of her chest. "Shall we then give ourselves a title? After all, we can't exchange our real names." Before Aljere could speak, her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Though she wasn't certain whether the Fool truly knew her real situation, the man across from her posed a certain risk—she didn't want him to know who she really was! "A splendid idea," Zhou Mingrui replied briefly and with ease. Audrey immediately began thinking, speaking as she pondered: "You're Mr. The Fool, from the Tarot—so for a regular, long-term, secret gathering, the title should be consistent. Hmm, I'll pick one from the Tarot as well." Her tone gradually brightened: "Decided! My title is—The Justice!" One of the twenty-two major Tarot cards. "And what about you?" Audrey smiled warmly at her counterpart across the table. Alger furrowed his brows slightly, then relaxed: "The Hanged Man." Another major card. "Then we're off to a great start as founding members of the Tarot Circle!" Audrey exclaimed with delight, then hesitated slightly, glancing toward Zhou Mingrui, veiled in gray-white mist. "Is that all right, Mr. The Fool?" Zhou Mingrui chuckled and shook his head: "For such a small matter, you can decide on your own." "Thank you!" Audrey clearly seemed thrilled. Then she turned to Algier: "Mr. The Hanged Man, could you please repeat the address one more time? I'm afraid my memory isn't quite sharp." "Of course," Algier was pleased by Odile's attentiveness and repeated the address. After silently reciting it three times, Odile eagerly added: "I've heard that tarot cards were merely invented as a game by Emperor Roscel, and that they don't actually have any divinatory function?" "No, quite the contrary—divination often arises from within. Each person possesses a spiritual nature and can connect with the spiritual realm, receiving information about higher-level relationships and connections within themselves. Most people simply aren't aware of this, let alone interpret the 'messages' they receive. When they use divinatory tools, these insights are made visible through them. A simple example is dreams and interpreting dreams." Alger glanced at Zhou Mingrui. Seeing no response, he voiced his disagreement with Audrey's statement: "Tarot cards are actually a tool of this kind—using more symbolic elements and more logical structures to help us interpret 'signs' more conveniently and accurately." Zhou Mingrui appeared casually attentive, yet his mental lapses were growing more pronounced, his head throbbing intermittently. "Understood," Audrey nodded in agreement, then added, "What I mean is not this. I'm not questioning the Tarot cards at all. In fact, I've heard that Emperor Roscel was actually responsible for creating a different set of cards—secret, symbolizing certain unknown forces—consisting of twenty-two cards. Only after completing this set did he develop the twenty-two major Tarot cards as a game tool. Is that accurate?" She looked at Zhou Mingrui, as if seeking an answer from the enigmatic Fool. Zhou Mingrui only smiled, remained silent, and cast his gaze toward the "Emperor Reversed," as though testing him. Alger unconsciously straightened his posture and spoke in a steady tone: "Yes, it's said that Emperor Roscel had seen the亵渎石板, and that the set of cards holds the secret of the twenty-two divine paths." "The twenty-two divine paths..." Audrey repeated, with a tone full of yearning. At that moment, Zhou Mingrui's headache intensified, and he began to feel the invisible connection between himself and the deep red star, the pale gray mist, growing unstable. "Alright, let's conclude our gathering here," he decided immediately, speaking in a low voice. "Following your will," Alger bowed respectfully. "Following your will," Audrey echoed the "Emperor Reversed." She still had many questions and thoughts, and was entirely reluctant to end. As Zhou Mingrui severed the connection, he smiled gently: "Let us look forward to our next gathering." Even the brightest glow of the "Star" dimmed, flowing back like water. As Odile and Aljer had just heard the words of the "Knight of the Fool," their forms grew increasingly hazy and ethereal. Within less than a second, the "projection" shattered, and silence returned to the gray mist. Zhou Mingrui, on the other hand, felt himself grow suddenly heavy, the surroundings drifting and unstable—first darkness fell before him, then bright sunlight burst through. He remained in his apartment, standing at the center of the room. "Like a dream... What exactly was that gray mist world? Who—or what force—created those changes just now?" Zhou Mingrui murmured softly, full of bewilderment, his legs feeling as though filled with lead as he walked toward the desk. He picked up his watch, which had been left outside, to check how much time had passed. "Perfect one-to-one time flow," he estimated. Setting down his watch, he could no longer bear the sharp, splitting pain in his head and sank into the chair, lowering his head, massaging the temples on either side with his left thumb and middle finger. After a long while, he suddenly exhaled, speaking in Mandarin: "It seems I won't be able to return in the near future..." Only those who know nothing are fearless. Having witnessed such astonishing events and come to understand the extraordinary realms and mysterious worlds, Zhou Mingrui now dared not recklessly attempt the "transformation rituals" of ancient Fussak and Runen! Who could say what might happen next—perhaps even more extraordinary, more terrifying, even life-altering? "At least, I must have a deep understanding of mysticism before attempting anything." Zhou Mingrui thought helplessly. Fortunately, the so-called "gathering" could offer him support. Another silence followed, as he spoke to himself, filled with a mixture of disappointment, sorrow, and profound weariness: "From now on, I am truly Zhou Klein." … Cain made a concerted effort to refocus his thoughts on the methods and plans, to dispel the negative emotions building inside him. Perhaps next week he could pick up the recipe for the "audience" potion by chance… The "gathering" just now was truly magical—people from all corners of the world,千里化作咫尺, exchanging ideas and insights face-to-face. Hmm, that sounds rather familiar. Cain stood there, stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled, pressing his fingers to his temple and murmuring to himself: "Let me just check out online social networking platforms."